Guys you won’t even believe it. I refreshed and a tab said “Congrats” I click on it and it said “Congrats [my name]!” Then I click on the letter and it said rejected. Then I refreshed and congrats tab diapered. So they baited me and I got denied wth 
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exact same thing happened w me
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Also rejected + my friend as well 
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Rejected also.
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For future portal astrologers next year - my son’s portal had only the two tabs - home and financial aid - and was deferred. So the theory that applicants with all the tabs still there are deferrals and everyone else was either an acceptance or rejection wasn’t correct.
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Happy to share that my DD is accepted ED. No hooks but strong academics and decent ECs
Her academics and EC:
UW GPA 4.0
SAT 1590 (1 time)
ACT 36 ( 1 time)
14 APs with 4 yrs of Spanish up to AP Spanish lit
AP is all 3 major science subjects
Advanced math up to Discrete Math (AP Calc BC in 9th grade)
Speech and debate president but no national level winning
2 summer research internships ( sophomore and junior year)
Teen Mental health advocate for a national NPO & at the city level
Trained classical dancer and
Trained classical singer
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deferred
Happened to us too. Not cool.
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I was deferred as well. Any advice on next steps (demonstrating continued interest, supplemental materials, etc.)?
Hi Everyone, for future applicants: I got three financial aid emails and was accepted. It seems like there’s a pretty strong correlation as everyone else I talked to who got the financial aid email also got in.
My DD did not get any financial aid related emails but still got accepted ED.
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@GabrielSwai Congrats!
I got the financial aid email and I was also accepted, so there’s definitely a link between the emails and acceptance
I think not getting a FA email is not necessarily bad. Maybe they don’t need any more info.
But I think getting an email, especially one where they ask for specific information, is necessarily good.
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My son did not get any FA emails and he got in ED.
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My daughter didn’t get any FA email, but the dates on her FA portal changed on 12/10.
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I’ve read that having an additional letter sent by the principal/head of your school is a good idea. If you have new information to update since you submitted your application - a new leadership position, a new award or achievement - that can be helpful to send. Ask your school counselor what the next steps should be. Has anyone from your school been admitted in the past few years? If so then they may have some knowledge for you.
Same here. Admitted! Financial aid dates changed on 12/11 in portal. No email.
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Do you mind sharing your child’s stats? Thanks.
Mid/Large Public HS on West Coast
35 ACT
3.98 UW GPA (one B), 15 APs across wide subject range (incl. AP foreign language & AP Capstone Diploma)
Consistent, longstanding (6+ years), and meaningful ECs – highest scouting award, blogger for local environmental non-profit, president of local, fully teen-run volunteer organization with several hundred members across 30+ schools, creative writing summer camp counselor, litmag(s) and poetry review editor, part-time restaurant job, school leadership…
Essays may have been the key – we will never know. They were authentic (100% student’s “voice”) and exceedingly creative, illustrating intellectual curiosity, grit, kindness, and a love for the outdoors. Student prepped thoroughly by visiting campus, conducting deep research on programs/classes/D-plan/etc., listening to Lee Coffin’s podcast.
I hope this helps future applicants!
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So two years ago DD applied to Dartmouth ED. 35 act one sitting early junior year and a 4.0/4.5 gpa. Top 5% of public school. 16 AP classes and submitted 15 scores of all 5 and 4. Excellent essays and recs. Solid ECs double varsity sport captain, good volunteer community involvement blah blah. Visited twice. And we live very far. Listened to dumb Lee podcast about how he considers an ED applicant favorably if they put their heart out there and are qualified. Flat out rejected. Crushed.
Podcast advised if you’re rejected then you’re not qualified and you need to revisit your list. At this point she had little faith and she had nothing to lose. Applied to a shocking 24 schools. Accepted at 21. In RD. Including two of the tippy top ivies and top west coast schools, full merit ride to Tulane and honors at UT Austin. Dartmouth is tiny and takes the same number of athletes and legacies and big donors - it is hard to get in if you’re not hooked. Take away what you will but a rejection here may not be indicative of anything at all except your family hasn’t given a bu ch of money to Dartmouth.
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